1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to handling, including hand and hoist-line implements, and more particularly to a grapple with pivoted jaws and crossed levers; an expanding and pivoted grapple; and to pole mounted implements. One exemplary embodiment of the invention is a grill filter baffle removal tool that facilitates hand removal of filter baffles from grill or other restaurant hoods.
2. Description of the Related Art
At most establishments that serve food, such as a restaurant, diner, bar, or the like, a grill will be found. The grill is a large heated cook surface, usually smooth, typically flat, and often fabricated from stainless or other ferrous alloy. Such grills most commonly have overhead vents to clear the air surrounding the cooking space. Many of these vents will simply draw the air from above the grill and pass it through a pipe or conduit to the outdoors, exterior of the building. In addition to grills, similar vents are found above various deep-frying and other cooking appliances.
As grease and other food matter is heated and boils or evaporates, this grease and other matter is entrained into the air stream that is drawn into the vent. As the hot grease is entrained in surrounding air, the grease cools. With enough cooler air drawn in and mixed therewith, the grease and food matter condenses from the air stream onto adjacent surfaces, which without other precautions would be onto the vent pipe or conduit. Unfortunately, such an accumulation of grease presents a fire and health safety hazard that is unacceptable.
To prevent this undesirable accumulation of grease, filters have been devised that keep the vent pipes and conduits from becoming coated in grease. These filters provide a surface upon which the grease will selectively condense, and more elaborate filters even include grease drains to remove and collect the grease in a safe collector.
Due to health and safety concerns and codes, grease filters need to be cleaned or replaced periodically. However, such filters are often out of reach and not easily replaced or cleaned. At the end of the work day, employees attempting to remove the filter have been known to stand on the grill surface to reach the filter, leaving the grill unsanitary and, in some situations, leaving melted rubber from the soles of the shoes on the grill. Ladders are not ideal to reach the filters either, due to the obstruction caused by the vent hood and grill. Consequently, filter removal tools are highly desired. However, removal tools of the prior art have typically been unstable and difficult to handle. The net result has been damage to expensive filters.
An exemplary prior art filter tool is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,889 by Fithen et al, entitled “Filter Tongs,” the contents and teachings which are incorporated herein by reference. This patent describes a single pair of tongs that spread apart to grapple the filter. The mechanism that controls the spread is a scissors-like handle that is manually grasped, with one hand on each moveable member of the scissors. While this invention by Fithen et al advances the state of filter removal, there remain several limitations, drawbacks or deficiencies that will desirably be overcome. One drawback is the risk of pinching in the hand region, and adjacent the scissors pivot. Further, the use of a single pair of tongs in some filter designs presents undesirable opportunity for the filter to spin or rotate relative to the tongs. Finally, this invention does not incorporate a locking mechanism, and so requires careful holding and handling to avoid unintentional release of a filter from the tongs.
Other filter tool patents, the contents and teachings which are incorporated by reference herein, include 4,019,769 by Filion, entitled “Screen Gripper”; 6,477,758 by Krebel, entitled “Grease Filter Remover”; 6,507,987 by Price, entitled “Grease Filter Remover for Restaurant Hoods”; and 7,465,332 by Randinelli, entitled “Disposable Grease Filter for Air Filtration System and Method of Manufacturing Same”. Unfortunately, these patents fail to remedy the deficiencies of Fithen et al described herein above.
Other patents disclosing grabbing devices with various locking members, the contents and teachings which are incorporated by reference herein, include U.S. Pat. No. 64,285 by Collins, entitled “Leak Stopper”; U.S. Pat. No. 127,212 by Aylworth, entitled “Improvement in Stalk Holders”; 3,120,847 by Cavaness, entitled “Surgical Needle Holder”; 5,014,578 by Flentge, entitled “Pipe Tongs”; 5,575,518 by Payne, entitled “Gripper Tool for Handling Lumber”; and Des 152,478 by Hutchinson et al., entitled “Fish Mouth Opener or Similar Article”. Additionally, a lever action grabber without locking member, the contents and teachings which are incorporated by reference herein, is shown in 5,354,110 by Licata, entitled “Fireplace Tongs”.
In addition to the aforementioned patents, Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary, Second Edition copyright 1983, is incorporated herein by reference in entirety for the definitions of words and terms used herein.